True Grit (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

...much the same as Rooster. Fortunate for me, the last time I saw the original I was just a small lads and therefore felt no guilt for insufficient reverence or fidelity to The Duke. My thought going in was that it would be a good time to revisit the original version. Half way through Bridges and Steinfeld were creating such compelling characters that reading the book came to mind. By the end of it however both notions dropped away. Not now; much too soon. The zen of True Grit 2010 is aging nicely and unblended in the oak-charred-whiskey-barrel of my psyche. This is 5 stars if ever there was one. I am admittedly a Coen-head but the juxtaposition the Coens, setting, music, and a cast of superb players creating truly unforgettable characters make this the best movie of its kind I have ever seen. I am reluctant to declare it THE best movie I have ever seen in my life but in five weeks watching it every Saturday night I can recall none to surpass it. This is where the guilt kicks in because repeat short-span movie watching is a personal taboo; I could not help myself on this one. My standing applause to all involved with this film, especially Bridges, Steinfeld, Daymon as well the fabulous complimentary cast, Mathews and Pepper especially stick out. It is a powerful interpretation of the time and place appropriately ratcheted up for entertainment value and masterfully done. The characters range from audacious, colorful, and subtle; but all are authentic. I think there are some Faulkner-esk touches to the story. I plan to make a study of the book after the emotional attachment to the Coen version fades to a manageable degree. Of the few knits that I have seen picked from professional critics two of them are; Mattie was too modern and `you are not the boss of me'. I found her temperament to be commensurate with her apparent education (e.g. writ of replevin) and her objective. The event that triggered her mission would plausibly fortify an extra measure of pugnacity and independence. I saw no deviation in any of her character qualities taken collectively. The other criticism was that the outdoor panoramas seemed washed out. I thought they fit the season; slanted and diffused winter light. That was consistent with the winter light coming in the window at Cogburn's testimony. I ditto these insightful contributions already well articulated by other reviewers with which I fully concur; "...the most emotionally engaging movie they've ever made, including Fargo." [the movie left me with my chest laid open as if by a scatter gun] "...What elevates this movie from the original is the closer following of the source material: Charles Portis' novel. It isn't perfect, but the Coens portray a much darker, grittier time and circumstances." [and often times a more tragic world; I think the dirty coats, muddy boots, greasy hair, rotten teeth, and dialogue without contractions were excellent cinematic enhancements.] "...Jeff Bridges is NOT John Wayne, and, that being said, makes a much better Rooster than John. John was restricted by what he could do as an actor acting in the time the film was made. Jeff is not under such restrictions...." [clear cut best actor of the year imo] "...Hailie Steinfeld.... She handles the old-fashioned language well, does not suffer at all from misguided efforts to be cute or charming, and never seems like a modern kid playing dress-up, a fault I frequently find with child actors in period films." "...astonishing in her confidence and command at 13 years old of a starring role with a lot of difficult dialogue and plenty of nuance in the complexity of her character." [at one point I marveled at the authenticity of the facial expression she produced when Mattie took an insult; she will capture your heart like Dorothy in WOZ but for totally different reasons] "...Carter Burwell's music in `True Grit' just every bit as perfectly fit the characters, the events, and the surroundings and atmosphere in this film as it did in the sweeping hit `The Alamo'" [piercing and almost haunting in its contribution] - this movie has been a treasure to me!

Walking out of the theatre, a man behind us said (referring to Jeff Bridges): "He wasn't John Wayne!" And I turned to my companions and said: "No he wasn't John Wayne, he was Rooster Cogburn!" And that is my take on the Coen's re-imagining of Charles Portis's True Grit. I think this is a terrific film, beautiful to look at, beautifully acted by all, and loaded with the arch and arcane dialogue that made the book a delight and had me chuckling throughout the story and this presentation particularly. I think the Coens nailed it. It has been 40 plus years since I read the book, so I cannot attest how closely or how much the two films departed from the book. But I do know that this version feels more true to the tone and tenor of the book I read so long ago, and the ending is more how I recall the novel ended. Roger Deakin's cinematography is alway exceptional, but I think here it is superlative. The cold and forbidding landscape he shoots is a perfect match to the somber tale that underlays the humorous dialogue and indelible characters that are young Mattie and her gun-for-hire and eventual protector and saviour, the reprobate and dissolute Deputy Marshal, ornery and mean and not too concerned with the niceities of the law, Reuben (Rooster) Cogburn, indelibly played in the original as the iconic John Wayne character by John Wayne, and in this re-discovered by Jeff Bridges in a role he owns as his own. And of course there is the wonder of young Hailee Steinfeld (a real find), whom everyone seems to find astonishing in her confidence and command at 13 years old of a starring role with a lot of difficult dialogue and plenty of nuance in the complexity of her character. This film is much more centered on Mattie and this young girl handles the chore with aplomb. All of the supporting roles, from Matt Damon's Texas Ranger to the small cameos Josh Brolin and Barry Pepper as villains Tom Chaney and Lucky Ned Pepper are fine. And even if the bit with the "doctor" wearing the bear coat wasn't in the book as some reviewer noted (I can't remember), I for one found that bit of aside not a distraction but a nice bit of Coenesque "color" thrown in for the pure quirkiness but absolutely in tune with the tone of the piece as a whole. Anyway, many reviews here give lots of detail on the film so I will pass on that. Let me just say that I think both films can be enjoyed for their strengths. In the first, you have the incomparable Duke Wayne. In the second, you have a completely realized film, with outstanding performances by the two leads, Steinfeld and Bridges as Mattie and Rooster, and a better script, cinematography, cast and direction. And if the debate continues about which film is better, my view is this: take John Wayne out of the first film and would it be a great film? No. Take Jeff Bridges out of the new version (God Forbid) and you would still have a fine film. With Jeff in it as Rooster, I think you have a great film. That's my 2 cents.

『トゥルー・グリット』(True Grit)('10) 出演∶ジェフ・ブリッジス、マット・デイモン、ジョシュ・ブローリン、バリー・ペッパー、ヘイリー・スタインフェルド、ブルース・グリーン、デイキン・マシューズ、ジャーラス・コンロイ、ポール・レイ、ドーナル・グリーソン、エリザベス・マーヴェル、レオン・ラッサム 監督∶ジョエル・コーエン、イーサン・コーエン 完全に西部劇映画が衰退した1970年代以降に作られた数少ない娯楽西部劇のヒット作だ。かつて娯楽映画の王様であった西部劇は､1970年前後に"終わった"と思う。私の独断と偏見では､1969年の『ワイルドバンチ』『明日に向って撃て！』あたりが幕引き役か。それと同じ年に作られた『勇気ある追跡』は､ミスター西部劇ジョン・ウェインにアカデミー主演男優賞をもたらした。そのリメイク版が､この『トゥルー・グリット』だ｡ 西部劇らしい西部劇がほとんど作られなくなった時代の作品とは思えない"真っ当な西部劇"である。飲んだくれで偏屈で金にがめつい初老の保安官と､議員殺しの手配犯を執拗に追い続けるテキサス警備隊の男が､父を殺した男(議員殺しと同一人物)にカタキ討ちしようと追い続ける14歳の少女を助けて活躍する物語。事あるごとに"弁護士"だの"訴訟"だのを持ち出して､オトナを口論で負かす"オトナ少女"に振り回される大の男たちが､いつしかガッツと度胸を見せ､本気で闘いに身を投じていく本格西部劇だ｡ この作品､製作総指揮はスティーヴン・スピルバーグだが､彼のいつもの(?)"万人受けメガヒット狙い"の雰囲気はあまり感じられない。監督は『ブラッド・シンプル』『ファーゴ』のコーエン兄弟だが､彼らのいつものブラックな笑い混じりのクロウト好みの"クセモノ感"もあまり感じられない。スピルバーグやコーエン兄弟のブランドを意識して見始めたら､ちょっと違うかも……(笑) [物語] 14歳の少女マティ・ロス(スタインフェルド)の父親は､自分の牧場の使用人チェイニー(ブローリン)に殺され､金貨や馬などを盗まれる。マティは､自分で父のカタキを討つ決意をし､飲んだくれだが腕利きと評判の連邦保安官ルースター・コグバーン(ブリッジス)を雇うことにする。テキサスの議員殺しの罪で賞金の懸かっているチェイニーを追ってきたテキサス警備隊員ラ・ビーフ(デイモン)も加わる｡ インディアン居留地あたりにチェイニーが隠れているらしいと情報を得たコグバーンとラ・ビーフは､足手まといのマティを置いて旅立つが､決意の固いマティは馬を駆り､河を渡ってついてきてしまう。だが､方針を巡って対立したコグバーンとラ・ビーフは喧嘩別れに。チェイニーがお尋ね者ラッキー・ネッド(ペッパー)一味とともにいることを知ったマティとコグバーンは､一味の者が２人隠れる小屋を探るが､手違いで２人を殺してしまう｡ ネッド一味が小屋にやってくるのを待ち伏せたマティとコグバーンは､やがて来たネッドらと撃ち合いになり､それを追って来たラ・ビーフも合流するが､ネッドの本隊は逃がしてしまう。３人は再び一緒に敵を追うことになる。途中､ひとりで河に水を汲みに行ったマティは､偶然にもそこにいたチェイニーと遭遇する。父の遺品の大型拳銃を慌ててぶっ放したマティはチェイニーに手傷を負わせるが､２発目は不発で逆に捕まってしまい……!? 昔のヒット作のリメイクであるとか､スピルバーグやコーエン兄弟の作品であるとかの予備知識ナシで見ても､充分に楽しめる良質の西部劇だと思う。主演のジェフ・ブリッジスは若い頃から数々のヒット作に主演しながら､なぜか日本では人気も知名度も上がらない俳優さんだ。本国アメリカでも「最も過小評価されているハリウッド・スター」と言われていたらしいが……(笑) 大御所ジョン・ウェインが演じたルースター・コグバーンに寄せようとするわけでもなく､独自の際立ったコグバーン像を確立しようと力みかえるわけでもなく､自然体(?)で演じてるように見える。彼は､出世作の青春群像劇『ラスト・ショー』('71)で､オスカー助演男優賞候補になって以来､何度も同賞候補になりながら､『トゥルー・グリット』の前年作『クレイジー・ハート』で同賞主演男優賞を還暦で初受賞している。確かに過小評価され続けてきた人かも……｡

Forse meglio del film di wayne ...

This order was delivered on time and was in great shape, nothing wrong with the disk or the case and the movie played just fine. Couldn't be happier with this purchase.

La vi en la televisión. Y la tuve que comprar. Yo solo compro la pelis que valen la pena. Adelante.

Superb is the word. I am a big fan of Hailee Steinfeld. She was around 12 when she acted in it and she is on par with Hollywood veterans in it. Don't miss this masterpiece. Video and audio quality are excellent. Packing and delivery were as usual great.